Frank j



(No Model.) l

F. J. BERNARD.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

1n Lil Ml, 'I

lllllllliflllll Mv PHGTO'UYHD.WASHINGION. (1C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. BERNARD, OF JERSEY CITY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AMERICAN MUSIC BOX COMPANY, OF WEST NEV YORK, NEYJERSEY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL. INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 550,154, dated November19, 1895.

-Application filed October 8, 1894.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. BERNARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MechanicalMusical Instruments; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had ioto the annexed drawings, making a part of this specifica-tion, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the construction of the teeth upon t-henotesheet, whereby the ends of the pieces of metal from which the teethare formed are made to overlap and thus give increased strength at apoint where it is needed most, as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of the operating parts of amechanical musical instrument embodyingmy improvements; Fig. 2, a sideelevation en an enlarged scale, showing the damping device, the metaltongues or reeds, and the toothed wheel for operating them; Fig. 3, adetail view in perspeetive,on an enlarged scale,of the governor; Fig. 4,a detail view in perspective and on an enlarged scale showing one of thepins or lugs formed in the metal music-sheet.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Eig. l only such parts of amechanical musical instrument as will enable a proper understanding ofmy invention, the usual bracket for supporting the several parts beingshown at A. This bracket, which may be of any suitable construction, hasconnected to it a plate B, and through this plate extends a shaft a,which extends through a drum or casing b for containing a flat coiledspring as the motive power for operating the gearing which impartsmotion to the note sheet shown at C. The upper portion of the shaft 0Jis entirely independent of the lower portion, to which the spring andratchet are attached. The drum or casing I) has a suitable toothed geare, which. meshes with a pinion d upon a shaft c, said shaft at its upperend having double gear-wheels fg. The gearwheel f meshes with a largegearwheel 7L Serial No. 525,223. (No model.)

upon the shaft a and the gear-wheel g meshes with a pinion 'L' upon ashaft 7c, and upon this shaft is a large grooved wheel Z," over whichpasses a belt or cord m, said cord connecting with a grooved pulley n,upon a short shaft o. The usual ratchetewheel y.) is employed with whichengages a pawl 0*, of any preferred construction, to prevent the shaftfrom turning in. the opposite direction, and the shaft d is for thepurpose of winding up the 6o spring. This gearing, which I have hereindescribed in detail, may be variously modified or changed, as found mostdesirable, or any suitable clock-gearing maybe employed that will servethc purpose intended, as such changes would come within ordinarymechanical skill and would in no manner affect the principle of myinvention.

The grooved wheel Z and the grooved pulley n and the cord my, whichforms a connec- 7o tion between the two, provide the means for impartingmotion to the short shaft 0. To this shaft is connected the governor,which is represented in detail in Fig. 3, and consists of the doublespring-arms D E, constructed of wire and joined by a coil-spring F.

The arms D are connected to a hub G, which is adapted to slip over theend of the shaft o, and held thereon by a suitable setscrew or by anyother preferred means.

The arms E have suitably connected thereto wind-sails II, which sailsare flat, being preferably constructed of sheet metal, and are curved,as shown, to present a surface to the wind when the governor is inmotion, and 8 5 ,the more rapid the motion the more the arms E willspread out by centrifugal action and the sails present a greaterresistance to the wind and thereby governing the rotation of the shaft,te which it is connected, and regu- 9o lating the motion of the gearing.

The comb I is secured to the plate B in the usual manner, and each ofthe teeth has depending froin one edge a plate d3, which has a shoulders formed at its top, and which has its lower end to project through aslot in the plate These plates may be made of any desired length, butpreferably long enough to project below the under side of the plate B,and while they do not interfere with the roo vibration of the teeth formmeans by which the vibrations 'may be instantly stopped. Each tooth ofthe comb I is operated by its respective toothed Wheel K, which isloosely mounted upon the stationary shaft L and operat'e'd in its turnbythe y1rote-sheet, Which is j A l ends vwill overlap, as shown in Fig.4.

provided with teeth lfor that purpose.

The damping device consists of a springi arm M, having a curvedbearing-shoulder t, and upon its free end a damper N, of indiarubber orother soft material, which bears1 against the shoulder s of the tongueor reed l to limit the vibration thereof after the note f `or stripsprovides a tooth that possesses inis made.

The teeth upon the Wheel K, as they come l in contact With the shouldert, Will force the damper against the shoulder, and after the toothhaspassed the should-er upon the springarm the pressure thereon 'will be'removed andthe a'rin of the damping device resume its normal positionfrom 'contact with the shoulder 'upon the tonfgu'e or reed. The dampingdevices maybe connected in place in any suitable manner, there being'one Afor ea-'eh tongue or reed. Y

The metal music or note sheet C has a cen'- tral hole to enable it to be`slipped over the upper rotating 'end of the shaft (t and held down inplace by a suitable hinged plate '0, carrying antifriction-rollers P,which bear down upon the' upper side of the note-sheet to hold it inoperative position When in motion.

The pins lor lugs which are preferably termed the teeth 7 R, whichproject from the under side of the note-sheet C, consist ot tivosections A0r strips u t', which are punched out or struck up frein thebody of the Ymetal notesheet. The metal strips or sections are bent atright angles, or nearly at right angles, to the plane of the note-sheetand are bent around and upon each other, so that their It is 'considered'advisable to have 'one Yof the `sections or strips of greater lengththan the other, so that the joint between the tWo will come on the sideof the tooth, and also to enable the tooth to be torined more readily.The overlapping of the ends of the sections creased strength at a pointWhere most needed and renders the to'oth more effective.

Having now fully described my invention, what I clailn as new, andIdesire to secure by Lett-ers Patent, is-

In -fa musical machine, a note sheet provi'de'd with teeth R, each toothbein g formed of two sections or strips, one of which is longer than theother, and which have their ends overlapped, so as to give the teeth adouble thickness of metal at that point Where strength is most needed,substantially as set forth. y

In testimony that I lclaim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the pres'- en'ce of two Witnesses.

v FRANK J. BERNARD. Witnesses II. HORLBECK, CHAs. DAIBER.

